The Story of Us
by fairytalehearts
Summary: What happens to Prince Charming and Snow White after their first meeting?
1. Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time and make no profit from this work of fiction.

Title is taken from the Taylor Swift Song (Which I also do not own)

"Part Two" takes place after the episode "Snow Falls" (which would hypothetically be Part One) and I've already posted this on my livejoural.

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><p>He runs into her again of course.<p>

He wasn't_ intentionally_ picking towns near the forest that separates his father's kingdom and the kingdom that once belonged to Snow's father. Nope. Pure coincidence that he runs into her in the market. That he had been sitting in every day for the past week. Nope.

She's changed into a dress of all things, soot on her face to blend in with the common people. He watches her intently as she steals a shawl and basket before exchanging her coins for food. She doesn't even notice him following her until they're three huts over and she's got a knife to his throat.

Her demeanor changes instantly, no longer scowling, she smiles and he swears it takes his breath away.

"Prince Charming." She greets stepping away from him and re-sheathing her knife.

"Princess Snow." He bows dramatically and soon the two of them are giggling uncontrollably. They're in a rat-infested alley in the middle of nowhere and his once magnificent quest is suddenly given up for the even slightest chance that he runs into a girl- woman- who gallivants in the forest stealing from her own Stepmother. It's ridiculous and any of his men would never believe the tale. He had not been one to chase after a princess, he much preferred training with the other soldiers than any of the relationship aspects of their current political climate.

She leads the two of them back into the forest and they talk pleasantries, the weather, her impending capture- his fiancée- everything and anything.

"She's visiting her mother. All she seems to do is needlepoint and try to coerce my mother into redecorating the castle she has lived in most of her life."

Snow snorts her disapproval, "I've seen paintings of your mother's castle it's quite lovely."

The two of them walk for what seems like hours and eventually they stop at a rather large cottage in a clearing. "This is me. I've made some friends. They're all at work- there's a mine about an hour away and they're mining precious gemstones. If I cook and clean for them then I get paid in jewels."

She makes the two of them lunch and he eats on a bench made from a fallen tree. He supposes there's room for seven dwarves plus her and if the two of them sit sideways they fill the whole bench. One leg casually falling over the side, he removes his sword and just enjoys her company.

"I'm going to tell my father that I can't marry Patrice." He blurts suddenly, interrupting her story about the one she named Doc's affinity for fixing things that aren't broken.

"Why would you do a foolish thing like that?"

"I don't love her. She's gone anyway and I think it's for the best. Get it over with and whatnot."

Snow did not seem convinced.

James stretches out on the bench to watch the clouds float by and hopes that now, more than any time in his life was when he could speak the truth about his feelings, "What would it be like if we got married?"

"You're assuming I like you, your Grace."

"Humor me."

Snow pauses for a moment before repositioning herself on the bench, her head lying next to his, her hair tickling his face.

"We'd get up early in the morning, neither of us is the lazy sort and while you were off talking to your men, I would attend to the kitchen staff and help the baker make pumpkin pie just the way you like it. I would then return any correspondences from our neighbors and then find you, shirtless, sparring with one of the new guardsmen. We'd then race the horses around the castle, just for fun and then breakfast in the kitchen, followed by visiting the townsfolk and distributing any extra food we had on hand. I would then talk to the non-human representative while you talk with the head mage about something or another and then something pressing would come up- let's say bandits on the north road out of town. You and I would ride out as bait and then when they foolishly attempt to rob us, your men would spring out the well-placed trap and then they would rot in our dungeon until they'd repaid their debt to our citizens. I'd then check in on the school children and read them a story from my mother's favorite book and you forgot to tie up the horses, so you and the stableboy would be out in the forest looking for them. We'd be so busy we forgot lunch and dinner is served in the main hall with the visitors from Prince Phillip's castle. Then in "valiant" show of masculinity, you'd carry me up to our chambers and we'd sneak out the terrace to the lake behind the castle for a nighttime swim, just the two of us, and then we'd make love in the grass. We would laugh all of the time and I'd tease you for being silly and you'd tease me for my britches and our daughter would learn archery and hunting and our son would be an artist and we'd love each other until we both died, old and in each other's arms because every day would be full of laughter and friendship because that's a fairytale, James and that doesn't happen in real life."

He doesn't know why the tear is falling down his cheek but he wipes it away angrily. He sits up abruptly and he wants to scream or punch something because he can't take it anymore. "That could be us, Snow."

"Why because the giant forest that separates our kingdoms is strategically relevant or because my stepmother is crazy and will probably invade your kingdom next?" She's being defensive and moody and hypothetical but he's tired of thinking about things and not doing them.

He kisses her awkwardly, she's still lying down and he's crouched over, but he kisses her and makes it count. "Because I'm in love with you. With us. You're smart and gorgeous and caring and wise and I can't stay away from you because you're what I'm missing in my life. Please marry me so I can forget to tie up the horses and eat your pumpkin pie. Please be my wife because I can't live without you."

She says no of course but that doesn't stop him from trying. Again. And Again.

The dwarves are sick of seeing him, but when one of them shows up in his palace, claiming she's dead, he feels like maybe at least a few of them could tolerate him. He heads into the forest, to the cottage she called home and follows the footprints to a fallen tree where she's incased in glass.

She looks sickly and pale but he can't tear himself away. It can't end like this. Not now.

He kisses her goodbye, and to his amazement her eyes open and blink up at him and he knows it will all work out okay. "Marry me."

"If you insist." Snow whispers allowing him to place the ring on her finger.

And they lived happily ever after.

(Until all that other stuff happened)


	2. Part 3

See disclaimer in Chapter One

Thanks for everyone who Favorited, Commented and Tracked :D

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><p>Accepting his proposal does not change anything.<p>

Maybe it was because she had just been poisoned or her cynical nature, but she doesn't feel changed at all. She was going to marry a man she loved: he was smart and courageous and- Charming.

He also apparently snored.

Accepting his proposal was probably going to drive her insane, on second thought. Who marries a man who was practically a stranger? Her sanity in question, she went about packing her belongings and hoped that her heart would convince her brain that it was the right decision.

Yawning awake, James sat up in bed and watched her pack, "I had the most wonderful dream where you finally accepted my marriage proposal and I didn't have to sleep another night in this nightmarish miniature house."

"When you're only four stones tall this house is perfect."

"When you're over six stones this house is a head injury waiting to happen." Charming pouted dramatically, rubbing his forehead, "Come. Kiss me and make it better."

Snow refrains from saying 'how charming' and instead points to her bags. "We are betrothed and must act as such. That means you face Mommy and Daddy and their wrath for breaking it off with Patrice."

"I suppose."

It's still not all rainbows and sunshine but halfway back to his castle it finally sinks in. She said yes. That meant a wedding, and a castle and babies and a kingdom. Kingdoms were few and far between- by all intents and purposes her father was a lord, and they were by no means extravagantly wealthy but they lived comfortably. Charming had grown up in a huge castle with turrets and a royal guard- there was even a drawbridge.

The whole marriage acceptance thing had certainly ruined her plans to leave, but his warmth at her back, his tone as they talked- they were very convincing reasons to stay. Love wasn't a universal truth or a blinding light, it was talking with someone for hours in the forest, it was someone being there to help you when you were- well, poisoned by your crazy stepmother. He was worth it. They were worth it.

"You know this won't be easy, right? I'm not going to sit around cleaning the castle and popping out babies." She's edgy and probably being ruder than necessary, but he just laughs.

"Can I sit around and clean the castle?" His laugh tickles the back of her neck and she leans back against him as he steers the horse, "If you're trying to talk me out of my proposal it won't work. It appears as though you've stolen my heart."

"I'll sell it to Patrice and then be your mistress." She laughs sarcastically. The road was getting wider in front of them, the end of their little trip quickly coming to an end, "I'm horrible at this, I'm sorry James."

"You lived with Seven Dwarves in the middle of a forest for the better part of a year. I can't say I blame-" James trails off, something resembling a scream catching his ear in the distance. He jumps off the horse, sword drawn ready to investigate, but then hesitates remembering that he is not alone.

Rolling her eyes at his "chivalry", she pulls the dagger out of her cloak and jumps down. "If you think I'm going to 'watch the horse'- I'm coming with you."

The search turned up empty until they are surprised by another traveler on the road, "James."

"Adam."

"This is my brother, Adam. Adam, this is Snow."

She's not exactly sure why there's tension between the two of them, but apparently his brother had moved out and was restoring an old house in the middle of the forest. The family resemblance was unmistakable, save for the darker hair and complexion on Adam.

"There was an ogre attacking my wife. I took care of it." Adam resheathed his sword which indicated that he obviously did not want them around.

"Show me?" James asked quietly, putting his own sword away. The three of them then came upon a ogre, it's head cracked too far to the right, Adam's blood on its claws. It's mouth was still open from when it had lunged at him, and Snow could barely stand to look at it, let alone smell it.

Adam led them past the dead ogre and towards his house. Said wife was obviously not scarred from the encounter, she was sitting on a blanket in front of their house, reading a book of all things.

"Hello, James." She greeted, not looking up from her reading.

"Belle. This is my betrothed, Snow White."

Belle was beautiful. She dressed simply and even Snow could smell the delicious bread baking from inside their home. Her long hair was pulled back away from her face and she was scribbling notes down as she read.

"Sorry I've been attempting to translate this letter from a Horse Trader in Agrabah for your parents. Arianna sent it while she was stopped there."

If she remembered correctly, Arianna was his little sister. Leaving the men to talk, she sat next to Belle and did her best not to eavesdrop, even if it was against her better instincts.

"Adam was cursed until recently. He had been selfish and gambled away the money for the new school and- was not a very good person. His family cast him out, gave James the throne and- we're trying to make it here, but he's stubborn as the rest of them."

Snow promises to come visit Belle once she's settled in and James is oddly quiet the rest of the walk towards the castle.

"My sister's heading to the Old Sea to paint the merpeople." He says suddenly, breaking the silence, "My brother's a screwup, I'm more interested in quests and dragons, and my little sister's an artist who ran away from home. My parents have never had the utmost trust in any of us. They arranged the marriage with Patrice's parents because I wasn't interested in getting married."

"James, you can talk to me about this. You don't need to be ashamed- my stepmother is actively trying to kill me, remember?"

They hold hands the rest of the way to the castle. The town is busy, their market is thriving and they blend in easily with the crowds of people. She was always good at deflecting and hated to see Charming look so defeated, "I'll race you to the castle."

"You'll lose."

"I'll take that bet."

They both dash into the open doors straight down the hallway towards the throne room. She slides hard on her back foot and she slides right into the open chamber doors and right into a bump in the rug. She topples forward, smirking in satisfaction when she realizes that Charming has tripped as well.

He kisses her then, on the floor in front of his parents, servants and who knows who else and she can't help but melt a little in his embrace. "Charming, dear, your father looks quite livid at us for making a spectacle of ourselves."

The Herald stops gawking long enough to announce her arrival, "Her Royal Highness, Princess Snow White of the Elder Forest Kingdom, daughter of Johann White, sole heir to the throne."

The King simply blinks at them in the heap of limbs on the floor, and she can't help but laugh at his reaction. James starts laughing as well and by the time their giggles had subsided she realized she didn't care about his parents opinions. Loving James was not something that could be changed; their marriage was not something that needed to be discussed. She would love him with or without their approval.

"Please call me Snow…" she began hoping her words were as charming as her prince.

And so she moved into the castle.

(Until her stepmother moved her out)


	3. Part 4

See Disclaimer in part one.

Glad everyone loves this as much as I do.

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><p>Snow had been oddly missing since breakfast.<p>

Her bluebirds sat peacefully sleeping in their houses, the beekeeper had not seen her since yesterday, and the last place she had been spotted was the rose gardens but there had been no sign of her for hours. If he hadn't been so pre-occupied with the Royal Horse Trader from Agrabah-

He was worried and he hated being worried. A good leader, a strong leader always had his wits about him in dire situations, but he couldn't help it. Especially since his betrothed had a penchant for getting into trouble. Heading out onto the main road, he stopped short seeing a familiar-looking dwarf head towards the school.

Curious, James followed after him, and watched as he carried a rusty lunch pail into the building that they used for children's school. The chairs had all been discarded and 20 children were huddled around his fiancée on the floor as she read from a book.

"The world was once a dark and mysterious place, magic roamed the lands with ogres and all sorts of creatures roaming the night. But man soon learned how to tame the wildlands, with tools and then the great societies were born. My grandfather's grandfather's grandfather travelled past the Sun Desert, past the great city of Agrabah, past the Old Sea, and he travelled as far as he could into the Great Forest, into the land we call the Elder Wood. He moved his family there and set up and outpost, and that outpost turned into the town I am from. It's the furthest point west in all of the Great Forest. My father was from another large village nearby and when he married my mother they joined the villages together and formed a kingdom, the Elder Forest."

He didn't know why she was teaching the schoolchildren, but he found it- endearing.

"Princess, why would a King do such a thing?"

"A Good Fairy saved my father from a well as a child. She told him peace is can only work if it prospers. He also thought my mother had the best sugar cookies he'd ever tasted."

James snorts before he can help himself. On cue, twenty tiny heads whipped in his direction, an assortment of wonder and confusion on their faces. He would soon be king and the children were much more interested in him than a history lesson.

"I suppose we can end early today, just don't tell Lady Vivian." Snow put one finger to her lips and the rest of the class followed in kind before scattering. Grumpy dutifully handed her his lunch pail and she smiled accepting the chunk of bread and cheese from the dwarf.

"Hello… Grumpy."

"Hello…Prince Maid Stealer." Grumpy replied, "I've come to make sure she's not been kidnapped or eaten by dragons, so you can just- end those thoughts about stabbing me with the dagger in your boot."

Perhaps dwarves were psychic because that was precisely what he was thinking.

"The boys and I decided that Snow is our responsibility, ergo one of us should be with her at all times. They voted me out of the house."

"-Grumpy is very adept at organizing his fellow dwarves, has great leadership experience and very tidy."

He could not deny his beloved anything, so he begrudgingly allows the Dwarf to stay with them at the castle. Apparently his third cousin's father was a house dwarf so he would fit right in with the maids (minus his "grumpy" temperament)(eventually).

Dinner is rather uneventful, even with the delegation from Agrabah. The Queen is lovely and apparently named after a flower that grows in the Desert. She had initially been one of the potential candidates for his wife, but he felt it would be too cruel for her to move across the world for some political alliance.

"I have not been to the Great Woods since I was a child. I find it- refreshing to see the world as others do." Jasmine smiles, placing a warm hand over his own, "I would also personally like to thank you for rejecting my father's marriage proposal."

"Anytime." James- was horrible at smalltalk. He was much more interested in his betrothed dancing with a monkey and a magic carpet than anything the Queen wanted to talk about.

"I apologize that Aladdin could not be here himself. His father is very sick and the boys hate to travel-"

"AH! Prince! I love the digs! And your princess is the loveliest of the lovely."

Eyes narrowing, James eyed the "Captain of the Guard" wearily, his behavior striking him as strange. He didn't eat, or need to rest after their long journey. He was loud and a tad bit obnoxious, even his skin had a strange hue to it. Jasmine tried to hide it, but she was failing miserably.

Something fishy was going on in his castle. She kept looking around as if she were waiting for something to happen. With a crack the main doors whipped open- James had his sword drawn before he could even notice the lonely squire in front of them.

The boy was barely a lad, and shaking fiercely, "Sorry."

Throat cleared, the boy began again in a surprisingly boisterous voice, "Your Royal Highnesses, Prince James of the Great Wood, and Princess Snow of the Elder Forest are hereby cordially invited to the wedding of one Prince Thomas of Dark Forest and Ella of Ridgefrell. The wedding will take place five moons from now."

He does a sweeping bow, before turning to kiss Snow's hand, "My master would like to invite you a day early to help my mistress prepare. She is- new to Dark Forest and would need any help you and Princess Belle are willing to provide."

It were as if everyone in the entire city drew in a gasped breath, because maids had dropped dishes, waiters had overfilled water glasses. No one ever referred to his brother let alone give the title of Princess to Belle. But since his parents had retired (out of spite, most likely) he supposed it was his job to make a decision on the matter.

"Please tell Ella that Belle and I would be honored." Snow smiled curtseying at the boy. "Please also inform the Prince that Queen Jasmine of Agrabah will also be coming with, as she is our guest, but Phillip is James' best friend."

He swears he hears the captain of the guard mutter, 'Oy vey' but he wasn't very familiar with that particular colloquialism from the South. Dinner proceeded as normal, aside from the re-officiating of Adam as Prince of Great Wood, the people were generally oblivious to the delegation from Agrabah.

He spoke briefly to his valet about his wardrobe for the wedding and then headed towards the servant's quarters to find Grumpy. This was a delicate matter and the last thing he needed was war to come to his kingdom when they were at peace.

Grumpy was eating leftovers from Dinner out of his lunch pail and motioned towards a stump he had fashioned into a seat, "Talk."

"I may be in need of your assistance."

"You want me to trail that weirdo from Agrabah." Again, he wondered if Dwarves were psychic, "He was actin real weird at Dinner and nobody seemed to notice."

"I want you to tail him and report back to me."

"Sure thing, your highness."

And that's how Grumpy and Charming became besties.

(If by that you mean best frenemies)


	4. Part 5

AN: I think i will focus more on Snow/Charming from here on out. I feel like this one doesn't really gel with the others but I do like it ;)  
>AN2: See disclaimer in first chapter.<p>

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><p>Gossip is commonplace among the workers of her castle.<p>

The Beekeeper had been ill for the past few weeks, and Snow had volunteered to fill the position until he felt better. She would get up at sunrise and don the bee suit, and was assaulted by the staff's constant opinions and thoughts about her life.

So they would talk about the salacious and/or scandalous things she must have done to ensure her wrath, then they move on to talk about her near brush with death, finally ending with her "attitude problem" that spawned the former Queen and King into early retirement. There was hardly an attitude_ problem_, per se, but even she could acknowledge that it wasn't particularly helpful when dealing with future relatives.

But lately things had changed to talk of the wedding, her cake, her dress. Why people thought her cake would be pink was beyond her….but even that wasn't as troubling as the talk of their neighboring Kingdom and its problems with Prince Phillip.

Phillip was her husband's best friend. Phillip was a kind man with an adventurous heart. Their brief introduction at Ella's wedding was more than memorable and to hear such awful things about him was unsettling. He liked to drink, he liked to kill dragons, he accosted the scullery maid- it was disturbing. Especially since he was currently on his way to celebrate James' birthday.

Snow headed back to her room to change out of her bee suit and headed to the Barracks where she knew Charming would be training the soldier's boys how to hold a sword. It was some tradition- the men of the guard had a feast every year for their good work, while the king would start recruiting their boys for the next generation of soldiers.

Apparently word of her wearing pants had not spread amongst all of the villagers and she got the expected gasps and whispers, but she walked quickly enough and found a girl among the boys playing with wooden swords.

"Now, just because you're smaller or slower, doesn't mean you can't try. It's all about knowing your strengths-" Charming trailed off, taking notice of her stares. The tips of his ears always turned red when he was embarrassed.

"How Charming." Snow leered, kicking up the wooden sword at her feet. "Excuse us, boys and lady. The King and I need to have a little chat."

"Will there be dragons?" "Swords?" "Adventure?"

"All that and maybe some kissing if he's lucky." Snow winked at her fiancé before taking an overarching swing as the kids booed. She caught him, over confident that he had the upperhand and stabbed the fake sword under his armpit. He attempted to sweep her feet out from underneath her, but she had anticipated the action and jumped out of the way in time.

"Well men, I'll trust you'll find your way to school alright." Charming dusted himself off before wrapping his arm around her waist. "What would you like to talk about, my love?"

"Ugh, I hate this, but the staff have been talking about Phillip and I think he's in some sort of trouble."

"Phillip? Perfect Son, Perfect Aim, Standup Guy Phillip? My best friend 'don't call him Phil' Phillip?"

James was generally confused, and Snow tried to explain the situation to him delicately. It wasn't until Phillip's prized steed showed up at the stable, Phillip-less that James started to believe. The guards were all called, she sheathed her own sword and just as they were lighting the lanterns for the search party, Phillip showed up. Drunk.

"Whoa, Buddy." James said gently putting an arm underneath him to steady him.

Snow took it upon herself to send the men home and thank them for their efforts before handing the empty jug of ale to Grumpy and instructing him to get rid of it.

"I was DUMPED. By my BETHROTHED! I had the finest maidens re-decorate the castle- in a similar fashion to your FORMER betrothed, I had the apothecary make scented candles with rose petals, I found out her HOBBIES—I bought her a horse! And what do I GET? STOOD UP. BY THE ENTIRE BOYAL FAMILY. I did everything Mummy and Daddy asked of me and I just got rejected."

"Drinking help you out there?"

"Nooo."

"Well I'm going to take you up the guest room and tomorrow we'll ride out to Riverwood and show them what we do south of the river when someone betrays a blood oath."

Phillip then puked in the middle of the town square before stumbling up to the guest rooms.

The next day they rode out (she was 'instructed' to stay home- despite her many protests and attempts at seduction) so she sat, staring at her horse in the stables. Bags were packed, horse was groomed and she was going nowhere fast.

Saddling her horse, she headed for the woods anyway. Taking the east path through the woods would eventually allow her to catch up with them, her horse much more accustomed to the rocky back roads. Not even two minutes away from the castle, Charming and Phillip were waiting for her on the main road.

"I told him it wouldn't be any fun without you." Phillip smiled, kissing her hand.

James nodded before nudging his horse to walk in step with her own. "Please forgive me?"

"I'll consider it." She kissed his cheek and pointed him in the opposite direction. "The castle's that way."

The journey seemed like it was taking longer than it should, they passed the river hours ago and there were no rabbits or deer in the forest known for its game. Something was definitely wrong and the feeling kept growing as they went deeper into the forest.

They approached the main gate to the city and it was wide open, the entire city dark- no fires. No kids running in the street, no horses. James nudged the door to the nearest house open, and Snow went in dagger first. It was like any other house, dinner was set on the table. James glared at her before stepping in front, sword drawn. They edged closer into the house and a man and a woman, were asleep at the table, their noses deep in mashed potatoes.

"No wonder they didn't come to the engagement party." Snow smirked, the whole kingdom asleep even weird by her standards. The words came out much more harshly than intended and she realized too late that it was not funny.

Phillip dropped the sword he was holding and ran for the castle. There was no way the two of them could catch up, there were too many bodies and Phillip was running like a man possessed, up the tower to where the royal family slept.

Aurora was hunched over a spinning wheel, her finger slowly dripping a puddle of blood onto the floor.

Phillip had kicked the wheel away and even gone as far as to put her finger in his mouth to stop the bleeding. Her head kept lolling to side, not able to keep itself up. Her blonde hair was still freshly brushed and her crown had fallen off in her in her slumber. Phillip's eyes were dark, and she looked so lifeless-That was what she would remember. Her face being supported by her friend, a man in love.

Someone once said there was magic in kisses. It was probably a wizard or a fairy, an emotional type. She thought she was above that sentimentality, that those emotions had died with her father and the stepmother that loved her. But she was changing, she realized and maybe she was that little girl who loved with all of her heart.

She wants her to wake up- prays for it even, but Phillip's kiss does nothing. He tries again and nothing. Snow grabs James' hand and squeezes hard to keep from crying.

"Aurora you need to wake up. I remember when I was a boy my parents brought me to the castle and said- this baby will one day be the mother to your children and I didn't understand it then but I understand now. You need to wake up."

A dragon roaring in the background startles the three of them, Snow cutting her hand on the spindle in a knee-jerk reaction. The once placid head in the Prince's hands jerks alive, Aurora's blue eyes blinking up at Phillip. She screamed, the dragon attacked- but that was for a different story.

And so Snow White saved the Princess Aurora

(Sadly she never got to return the favor)


	5. Part 6

See Disclaimer in Part One

Thank you to all of my loyal readers. I love all the comments :D

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><p>He forgets now more than ever, that he was not born into this life. Life was simple for a farmer, you grew up farming, you died farming. Working the land might not have been as glamorous as being a dragon slayer but it was the life you lived. He didn't need to worry about espionage (that was actually a genie) or an evil stepmother (real threat). But oddly, he feels fulfilled in his new role as King and hoped that was reflected in his subject's eyes.<p>

Hearing people's complaints was generally something most royalty hated. The little people, the people with no voice- he lived for those moments. Even if it was something small or petty, he always stayed until the last person had spoken up. He knew what it was like to wait in line all day, only to have the king give you a handful of seeds even when you've wasted a day out in the fields.

Snow generally opted to stay with him but she had wedding plans for the day. She had dropped off lunch earlier for him and the cooks and the seamstress had taken her elsewhere so he wouldn't see what they were doing. Being mischievous was apparently her favorite thing to do, and when he opened his lunch pail all that was inside was wedding cake. But that (sadly) had been hours ago.

He had promised to help mend the famer's fences after a wolf attack tomorrow, and with that he headed for his chambers to get some sleep. It was dark but he knew the back hallways like the back of his hand. Life was good, and maybe if he had been born royal he would be more suspicious of dark corners. Been expecting an attack. Most of all he was foolish to think that the Evil Queen was through with them. Whoever got the drop on him he couldn't see them and the strange thick smoke crawling into his lungs…

..

..

.

James bolts awake, a stabbing feeling in his stomach.

It's dark, too dark to see anything and his dagger is missing and he feels like he's forgetting something important. He didn't remember why he woke up let alone why he was so cold; it was summer time.

The snow blows into his tent and he screams. He remembers yesterday very clearly. He went to visit his brother to invite him to the wedding, then he went over the security details for the wedding and Snow had stolen his favorite shirt and had worn it to bed-

It had been hot enough that the two of them opened the windows to the cool breeze at night. Now it was cold enough to warrant two furs and the snow had definitely not been on the ground. The Evil Queen must have done something to the weather- or to him.

The stars are all wrong, wherever he was he was far away from the castle he called home. Seeing fires from a village up ahead he wondered into town and they had no recollection of him, none of them had stopped him, he was the same as any other man walking down the road. Everyone in the four nearby kingdoms knew him as the Dragonslayer.

"Excuse me, what city is this?"

"Meridan. Can't you smell the Great Ocean?"

The man points him to the semi-frozen ocean that went as far as the eye could see. Merdian was at least half a month's ride from the Great Wood. And he had no money to his name and no horse-

"James!"

A tiny woman, with short black hair and an easel under her arm practically tackled him to the ground. "I heard you killed the Dragon for Midas!"

This poor girl didn't even know her brother was dead. She looked exactly like Adam but with much more delicate features. He hated this the most, he could either lie to the girl and risk the horrible relationship with Adam, or tell the girl and break her heart. Her parents did what they needed to do to save their kingdom.

"Arianna- we need to talk."

The Inn in Merdian was probably the biggest he'd ever seen. There were five buildings, twenty rooms each- it was practically a castle even though the King's Summer Home was down the road. His wife was a mermaid and their daughter was- he wasn't sure how that really worked out but he made a mental note to ask Snow when he returned home.

She took the news fairly well, all things considered. Adam had gotten drunk, turned into beast and been exiled and she just cried. Being reassuring was difficult in this situation but he did his best, "Your brother was a brave man and- I had a very deep respect for him. I will do my best to honor his name and be the brother to you that he can't."

He makes her some hot chocolate with cinnamon on top, the way Snow likes it, and walks around admiring her work.

"I didn't realize it was your paintings that line the south wing's hallways."

She was being very quiet be he supposed he couldn't really judge if that was a new development or an old habit. Busying herself, she threw some art supplies in a bag and draped her cloak over her shoulders, "If you're here and your wedding is supposed to be five days from now we've got about 30 days for you to be really late."

"It's only a few days ride to Agrabah if we don't stop and I've got a genie who owes me a favor."

"How are you so okay with this? You're marrying a Princess. You were a farmer. You're going to be the King that unites the kingdoms. That's not something one rushes into"

"He was my brother too."

They make it to Agrabah in less than two days. The drastic change in climate was odd to say the least and he's surprised the guards even let him inside the city walls. The Sultan's Palace was beautiful, and he was received warmly by Queen Jasmine and her children. "I have a favor to ask- It seems as though I need a ride to my own wedding."

"Genie?"

He's not sure how it happens, but suddenly he's back at the Castle, guards rallied in the courtyard. It seems as though his wife to be was prepared to fight her way into the Evil Queen's castle to get him back.

"I knew you weren't really missing."

He would never know how Grumpy seemed to be right in front of him without him noticing.

"Ooh, a Dwarf. Can I paint you?"

James ran past the soliders, up the main staircase and to the balcony. Snow was in tears and he was filthy and her dress was probably ruined, but he kissed her and all of his weariness went away. "I love you. Nothing could stop me from marrying you."

"You do always find me don't you?" Snow laughed, turning to address the men, "Go home. Rest. We will celebrate tomorrow."

And that's how The Evil Queen tried stop the wedding

(Unfortunately that was only Plan A)


	6. The End

See Disclaimer in Part One

I want to thank everyone who read and subscribed to this story. I appreciated all of the warm comments and sadly have to bring this story to a close. I will continue to write more OUAT fic in the future and again, thank you.

* * *

><p>They finally did it: they got married, she got pregnant, everyone was alive and happy and everything was perfect.<p>

That lasted for about fifteen minutes, and in hindsight, Snow should have seen it coming. The world was literally crumbling around her and she would die alone. If James somehow made it to the dresser, if Emma somehow made it out alive-

She was going to die, in _their _bed. It was odd to her, how somewhere she usually felt warm and loved would be where she would face the end. Clutching the covers close she screwed her eyes shut and waited for the end. Her life had barely begun, she was young but she had loved fiercely and without prejudice. Creating life, she was a mother for mere moments, but Emma would save them- she had to believe in that. And James, her beloved James- they helped unite a nation. He was so strong and he would be strong for her in this life and the next. She was not a coward and did not cry. She simply exhaled in the darkness.

* * *

><p>Mary Margaret gasped for breath, the shreds of a nightmare tearing at her.<p>

The oddest sensation of drowning struck her chest and she couldn't breathe enough to calm herself down. Whatever she had been dreaming of must have startled her, but for the oddest reason she couldn't remember what had happened.

She was still in the same apartment, same bed as always. Same routine: she would get up in five hours, shower, eat breakfast, go over her lesson plan from last night and then walk to school. The weather would be cool, but pleasant. School, lunch, school, walk home and maybe she would watch some TV before going to bed with a glass of wine.

It wasn't the best life, she figured but it was the one she had. She would live it until she died. Alone and miserable.

And so she did not live happily ever after

(Or not yet, anyway)


End file.
